Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Used our All American 921 canner and Tejas Smoker's burner to do this.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...Canning003.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...Canning001.jpg

The second picture shows nine pints of chicken stew, ten pints of brunswick stew, and seven pints or so of split pea soup. The bands are still on because the jars are still warm. Each jar lid is labeled with the food and date canned with a Sharpie. Makes it easy to identify what it is and how old it is. Took two runs in the 921 which worked out well for us as we took two days to do the cooking. Basically we use the crock pots at night and can the food the next day.

We meant to do pizza sauce and jellies but my wife wanted to do brunswick stew and split pea soup, so I did not bother arguing as I like those just fine. Next weekend we will do the jellies and pizza sauce.

The little jars in the foreground go to work with me and are stored in my desk as a "Just in case".

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Very nice. Nothing like truly home made. The little jars almost like they are full size jars sunk into the table.

We are planning on canning chili next weekend.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

I take it you cooked the contents like normal prior to canning ?

I don't do that......I find 90 minutes canning time does the cooking.

For example, chili, I brown the hamburger, then dump the rest of the ingredients with the hamburger in a LARGE pot ( like the one that came with the turkey cooker ) and simply bring it to a good heat, then pack in the jars and process. Same for beef stew.....roll the meat in flour, brown, add to the rest of stuff, heat, can.....whereas normally when I make either of the above, I do run it in the crock pot all day.

Pea soup, I "might" cook....because I like the dried,split peas to absolutely broken down completely......never canned it, so I don't know how it would can without pre-cooking. I'm the only one that likes pea soup here, so I don't fix it too often.....the dogs get the ham bone more than me.

Why isn't your pea soup green ?

That Tejas burner sure looks STOUT !

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Good job on the stew and soup, I really enjoy these prep/canning threads, thanks for the pictures!

Sometime in the next few months, when I can justify it out of cash flow, I'm going to get me a set-up like yours and start to do some canning. Ya'll are really putting the motivation on me!

For the last couple of months I've been vacuum-packing dry goods, between this and a few hundred dollars of canned goods I've got a decent start on some preps this way. Still so much to be done, and a pressure cooker and a grain mill are high on my list.

Next week I'm going to try doing some food drying, starting with apples and bananas. According to "Making the Best of Basics" by J.T. Stevens this can be done using a conventional oven and the dried fruits I presume can be vacuum packed for storage without having to can them.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Looking great! Lots of work but well worth it. Those small jars are so cute. Never seen jars like that.
I made up about 16 pints of chicken soup and 8 pints of ground beef in broth this weekend. I'd put up some pics but one of my damn kids made off with my camera again without asking. Mama not happy. :36_1_30:

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

:rofl:...dont they know your a pistol packin Mama



Yup the canning session looks like a success......I'm ready to roll, now if I could just get the little lady on board.....although we did make mulberry jelly 2 months ago ......yummmy

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Tn...Andy, do you do your chili with dried beans or precooked useing that method?

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Yes, we cooked the contents before canning minus additives like flour and cornstarch for four reasons:

1) Allows us to adjust the seasonings to taste.

2) Insures peas and meats (as in beef stew) are in the state/form we want. Beef would be cooked by the pressure canner, but it would be chewier than the form it is in by the slow cooking. I am not sure how well split pea soup would do if "raw packed". The slow cooking also allows the meat to be more flavorful.

3) Allows us to skim fats (like from the BBQ in the Brunswick stew and from the beef in beef stew) from top before canning. The chicken in the Brunswick stew was boiled, skinned, deboned, and shredded prior to assembling. The resulting stock was used as well for another meal.

4) Makes eating a jar as simple as removing lid and reheating. No need to add salt, pepper, or other seasonings. It really is a self-contained meal. I think that is important if for no other reason than our teenage daughter will eat the food right out of the jar.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

It is full of carrots, celery and ham as well as split peas. It is not a "pure" split pea soup due to the addition of carrots and celery, but it is a good tasting variant. My wife does not believe on skimping on the meat. There is one pound of ham in those jars.

One of those small wide mouth "contemporary" jars of the split pea soup is a full meal for me. The stuff is hardy and dense.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

It is stout, and that is only part of it. The windscreens around the cast iron burner are permanent; however, the kit also includes windscreens that go around the canner or cooking vessel. This comes in handy on blustery days where I want to minimize the temperature changes seen by the canner.

The unit also includes detachable side tables, one for each side of the main unit. Makes it nice for cooking a whole meal or for keeping tools available.

There are also leg attachments that can raise the burner high enough off to ground to cook in a field without fear of fire or to raise the cooking vessel for easy stirring.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Very nice! Making me think more and more about canning more than just "tomato things".

Gonna go try to find one of those Tejas burners... they look awesome, and as I plan on buying a glass top stove soon, no more canning in the kitchen for me.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Try www.tejassmokers.com/

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Cool, I canned some more apples this weekend for pies. Also cut some up and put them in the dehydrator.

Need more uses for apples. Been given several hundred for free.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Kewl pics. Thanks. You all post the nicest canning pics.

Re: Weekend Canning Sessions
 

Hoot: The beans ARE canned ( pre-cooked ), not dry.